This collection challenges the debate which portrays quangos, now a permanent layer of governance in Britain, as inherently undemocratic. Through chapters by practitioners, politicians and academics, the book acknowledges both the pitfalls and potential offered by these bodies, thus illuminating a perspective on the debate which highlights their democratic possibilities. Examining the British reform debate in an international context, theoretical analysis is blended with illuminating case studies from Quango Chief Executives and concrete proposals for reform.